How to Prune Cascade Delight Raspberries in the Spring

"Cranberry Delight" raspberries thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 5 through 10.

Summer-bearing red raspberry varieties, such as "Cranberry Delight" (Rubus idaeus "Cascade Delight"), produce large, firm berries throughout the summer months. Fruit appears on second-year canes, which die after the fruiting period has finished. Although the second-year canes of summer-bearing raspberries require removal in fall, these plants require a second pruning in spring to shape the bushes and remove any damaged and weak canes. "Cranberry Delight" spring pruning must happen while the plant is still dormant.

1

Wipe any dirt or debris from the blades of a pair of pruning shears and of loppers. Pour one part bleach and three parts water into a bowl. Stir the solution briefly with a spoon. Submerge the blades of both tools into the solution to sterilize them. Let the blades soak for five minutes. Remove the tools from the solution, setting them in a dry, warm area for 10 to 15 minutes to air-dry.

2

Wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt to protect the skin on your hands and arms from injury when working with the canes. Remove any dead, broken, diseased or insect-infested canes first. Cut the canes off at ground level. Use pruning shears to cut canes with a diameter of 3/4 inch or smaller. Use loppers to cut canes with a diameter larger than 3/4 inch. Untie the cut canes from the trellis if necessary and place them in a wheelbarrow.

3

Prune out the weakest canes, thinning each "Cascade Delight" raspberry bush so that the remaining canes reside 6 inches apart. Do not remove canes if they have a diameter of 1/4 inch or larger at a point 30 inches above ground level. Place all removed canes in the wheelbarrow.

4

Untie any of the remaining canes connected to a trellis. Cut back each remaining cane to a height of 6 feet. Make a horizontal cut across each cane just above a growth point or bud as close to the 6-foot mark as possible. Tie the canes once more to the trellis with new string or twist ties. Tie the canes tight enough to keep them straight and provide support but loose enough to allow for some natural movement.

5

Pick up any fallen canes, bark and old dead leaves from the ground. Place the collected material into the wheelbarrow. Deposit the removed canes onto a compost heap or into a trash bin.